A2026 analysis from the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) shows a strong negative correlation between the political strength of state teachers’ unions and the adoption of evidence-based early literacy policies.
The New York Post reports at least eight of the ten states where students had the worst literacy scores were liberal bastions with politically powerful teachers’ unions, while just five were Republican and one was a swing state.
The top-performing states were overwhelmingly conservative and had less politically powerful unions — of the 23 top-performing states, 13 were Republican majority and just 4 were Democratic hubs, according to the New York Post.
The fact that literacy rates are inversely correlated with the strength of teachers' unions tells you everything you need to know about the goals and priorities of teachers' unions. https://t.co/U9iaMKcJeI
— Wokal Distance (@wokal_distance) September 12, 2026
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